Power machining systems typically include a hydrostatically supported spindle, a tool holder located in the spindle socket, a machine tool secured in the tool holder, and a control system connected to the spindle for controlling the various machining operations of the tool, such as boring, drilling, or cutting various shapes and/or patterns in a workpiece or part, such as a piece of metal. Single or multi-point cutting tools including broaching tools, milling cutters, honing stones, and saw blades, are common forms of the tools utilized in machining systems. Some of these tools remove material from the part in large chips or pieces, while others such as a saw blade remove stock by cutting away small particles. Machining operations commonly performed by such machines include boring, milling, sawing, shaping, planing, drilling, buffing, and polishing. Often such machines have advanced features such as coolant delivery systems and rapid tool changing capability.
The control system furnishes the power for the machining operation, and also determines the manner in which the operation is carried out. Typically, a computer numerical control (CNC) serves as the control system for the machining system, in which case the machining system is referred to as a CNC machine. An example of a computer numerical control is the A2100 manufactured by Vickers, Incorporated, a preferred configuration of which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,215. As disclosed in the '215 patent, a computer numerical control such as the A2100 typically includes a work station processor such as a personal computer processor, which is connected to an operator station that includes a display device and a means for providing input to the work station processor. The work station processor and the operator station allow for the operator of the control system to select the operation to be performed on various parts and enter associated data.
In power machining operations, relative movement is provided between a cutting tool and the part. The cutting tool also generally uses either a rotating or a traversing motion with respect to the part to perform the machining operation. It is common for the part to remain secured to a fixed structure, such as a work table, through the use of an attachment mechanism, such as a bolt, clamp, or vise, while the tool is moved about the part. In order for the system to know where the part and attachment means are located with respect to a pre-determined location within the system, offset coordinates are provided to the machine. The part itself, the means used to secure the part, and the offset data are collectively known as a "setup." If the same machining operation is to be applied to a number of parts each of which has its own attachment device, the attachment device is referred to as a "fixture" and its offset coordinates are referred to as a fixture offsets. The fixtures on which the operation is to be performed are collectively referred to as a "setup".
In the past, after machining the setups, the operator was forced to stop the machine, remove each part from its respective attachment device, attach additional parts to be machined to the work table, and enter offset data associated with each of the new parts. To reduce the inefficiencies associated with this process, it became common to secure parts to be machined onto a movable tray, or pallet. Thus, while the machining system was operating on one group of setups located on a pallet, the operator could secure additional parts to a separate pallet. When the machining operations were completed on the first pallet, the operator, through the use of a crane or robot, could remove the first pallet from the machining area and insert the second pallet upon which setups had already been arranged.
In order to reduce the number of times that pallets had to be switched, tombstones (for mounting on pallets) and rotary table fixtures (for mounting on rotary tables) were developed. Both tombstones and rotary tables fixtures are multi-sided structures, wherein each of the sides, or workfaces, can be used to secure at least one setup, each of the setups including at least one part to be machined. Typically, a tombstone or rotary table fixture is a block of metal having a top surface, a bottom surface, four side surfaces, and a plurality of apertures for use in securing parts. A tombstone is rotatable about a vertical axis and, accordingly, is used with "horizontal" machines, i.e., machines whose spindle and tool are located on a horizontal axis. In contrast, rotary table fixtures are rotatable about a horizontal axis and are used with a "vertical" machine, a machine having a spindle and tool located on a vertical axis. After the machining system has machined all of the setups located on a particular workface, the tombstone or rotary table fixture can be rotated such that the setups located on the next workface may be machined. Once all of the parts on a tombstone or rotary table fixture have been machined, the tombstone or rotary table fixture can be removed from the machine and another tombstone or rotary table fixture can be inserted. Accordingly, the use of tombstones and rotary table fixtures allows for the efficient machining of numerous parts.
The machining system must be provided with certain data, such as the location of the part in relation to a fixed point in the system (this location often is referred to as the "offset" of the part) and the machining order of the setups and pallets. To properly determine this point for each part, the machine must know the offset coordinates for the pallet upon which setups are located, the offset coordinates for each setup, and the offset coordinates for each fixture that makes up a particular setup. In the past, these offset coordinates and other data were entered into a large, cumbersome data table that was similar to a spreadsheet. This data table was difficult to read and manipulate and, thus, the operator could easily make errors when providing data to the table.
To overcome such problems, a software program has been developed that provides a more efficient, user-friendly way to enter and view offset coordinates and other data associated with setups and machining operations. This program can be executed through use of the work station processor and operator station of a control system, such as a CNC, and is marketed by Vickers Inc. under the name Multiple Setup Support Application Release 2.0. The program provides a user interface that allows for the operator of the control system to efficiently enter setup data into the data table so that the control system can properly machine the part. This data includes information regarding where the setup is located (i.e., setup offset coordinates), and the order in which the setups are to be machined (i.e., execution order). The program also visually displays such setup information, as well as setup icons in an arrangement that mimics the actual location of the setups located on a pallet or work table in the machining area. In addition, the program can display information provided by the machine control system, such as the location of the machine tool, the status of each setup, and the total number of setups that have been completed or have been aborted.
While the Multiple Setup program is an effective and advantageous means of viewing and entering information associated with setups, it is not without disadvantages. Most notably, the program does not allow for the viewing or entry of data or information associated with the various structures to which a particular setup is related. For example, the program has no means for allowing the operator to enter and view information regarding the various pallets or workfaces upon which setups are located. Moreover, the program has no means for viewing or entering information relating to the various fixtures that can make up a particular setup. Consequently, when this program is used, information regarding these structures has to be entered and viewed using the data table, a process which is prone to operator error due to the difficulty of viewing and locating data within the table.
Moreover, because the program has no means for dealing with structure information, status information regarding these structures is output directly to the large data table and is not readily available for the user through the program. Thus, if the operator wants the system to automatically machine a plurality of pallets while the operator is absent, the operator has to scrutinize the large data table upon his return to determine whether an error occurred on a pallet and with which setup the error occurred. The program has no means of indicating which pallets had been machined and the status of each pallet.
In addition to having no capabilities relating to pallets, workfaces, and fixtures, the Multiple Setup program has no way of keeping track of the setups outside of the machining area. Consequently, when using this program, the operator has to enter data regarding the setups that are on pallets outside of the machining area directly into the data table. Thus, the program has no means of quickly and easily entering data associated with setups outside of the machining error, nor of displaying the status of these setups.
Accordingly, there has been a continuing need for a means for efficiently keeping track of the various structures (i.e., pallets, fixtures, and workfaces) associated with setups as well as to easily enter data regarding these structures. Moreover, there has been a need to provide a means for easily and efficiently displaying and entering information regarding setups that are located outside of the machining area.